As we enter our 4th year of farming, the usual activities of tilling, starting seeds, and transplanting are continuing as they usually do.  We do have some exciting new additions to the farm this year:

First, we built 2 hoop houses to get warm season crops such as tomatoes and cucumbers to market much earlier

We put on the plastic, and planted them with tomatoes and cucumbers

Next, we became beekeepers this year, which is an absolutely fascinating experience.  We started with one hive, but expect our hives to grow each year.  The bees will aide in pollinating our crops significantly, and provide us and farm members with honey in the years to come.

Finally, we are happy to announce that free range egg-laying hens will be part of our farm moving forward.  Our flock for our first year will be a mixed flock of 15 hens, consisting of Buff Orpingtons, Rhode Island Reds, and Barred Plymouth Rocks.  As of this post, they are just 7 days old, but growing (and eating) extremely fast.

 

Also, as of this post, we are now the official owners of the land we farm.  We will be forever thankful to the previous owners of this land.  If it were not for their conservation and stewardship of this parcel of land, we would not have been able to turn a vacant lot in the City of Ontario into a viable small family farm.